Halloween is nearly upon us, Pandas! Whatever your favorite time of the year, you can’t deny that autumn is magical. The scent of pumpkin spice lattes is in the air, candy purchases are through the roof, and many of your neighbors are rushing about, buying supplies for this year’s deco.

Some folks go above and beyond the call of duty for Halloween, and we believe that they deserve to be celebrated. Our team here at Bored Panda has curated this list of the most awesome ways that people decided to decorate their home exteriors, and their creativity is out of this world! Scroll down to check them out and don’t forget to upvote your fave pics. They really deserve it.

We reached out to Eric, aka redditor u/Turknor, who created the fantastically spooky Arachnid Manor. He told us all about how much effort went into making the decor and how the neighbors have been reacting. You'll find Bored Panda's full interview with Eric below. Don't miss it!

#1 My Pumpkin Arch This Year

Image credits: echoes9999

Eric, who goes by the handle u/Turknor on Reddit, was kind enough to answer our questions about the epic Arachnid Manor, a project that he's been doing for Halloween for years now.

"Arachnid Manor has grown over the past 6 years, from a simple collection of little spiders and cobwebs, growing to two giant spiders, a man-eating plant, and various hand-built props," he told Bored Panda.

"Several kids have shared that the spiders are their favorite part about Halloween. That sealed the deal for me. The 'Arachnid Manor' sign is a new addition this year, and I also have four new 4ft spiders in the works," he told us about his upcoming plans.

#2 Neighbor's Halloween Decorations

Image credits: tragickingdom05

#3 My Wife And I Are Working On An Uncle Fester Halloween Display. Just Finished His Head And Thing

Image credits: kvnorlly

Eric explained that he focuses only on taking on one major addition to the Manor per year, to keep things in hand. Otherwise, everything would be very overwhelming.

"The hairy tarantula probably took the most work, about 4 weekends, or maybe 40 hours. I build them so that they'll easily disassemble and store comfortably in my attic, which adds a few extra design challenges," he shared.

Some parts of the project have been quicker and easier to make, however. "The sign came together much faster than I worried, about 10 hours."

#4 One Of My Graveyard Spirit Props, Close-Up

Image credits: lilibat

#5 The Reaper Is Finished

Image credits: King_Prawn_shrimp

#6 Halloween Decoration

Image credits: phantom.projector

Bored Panda was extremely curious about how Eric's local neighborhood had reacted to his Halloween project.

"The Halloween creatures have become a major draw for the street. Last year, I went through 4 giant bags of candy, maybe 200 kids!" he told us just how popular his place is. "We're great friends will all of our neighbors and they love seeing it come together."

However, u/Turknor noted that far from all of his Halloween creations have fared well over time. He suggested that anyone thinking of creating their own decorations ought to consider how they're going to store everything until next year.

"Lastly, be prepared for the question, 'Awesome, so what are you making next year?'"

#7 A Friend Of Mine Has A Weird Bush In Her Yard So She Incorporated It Into Her Halloween Decorations

Image credits: CatVideoFest

#8 This House Always Has The Best Decorations In Town

Image credits: Bri-guy15

#9 The Kraken House

Image credits: krakenhousenola

Halloween is an important time not just for candy and horror lovers, but for the economy as well. BBC Future notes that, according to the National Retail Foundation in the US, spending is bound to hit a jaw-dropping $12.2 billion (yup, with a ‘b,’ not an ‘m’) in 2023. To compare, last year, Americans spent $10.6 billion on Halloween-related purchases. 

The average American spends around $108 each year on Halloween decor, costumes, candy, and other party supplies. This shows just how important the event is to people. 

#10 Anyone Ever Get An Anonymous Letter From Someone In Their Neighborhood Saying That They Dislike Your Halloween Decorations? Here Was My Response

Image credits: UptonDide

#11 I Made One Of Those Skeleton Fountains For Halloween

Image credits: ToProvideContext

#12 My Neighbors' Use Of Their Halloween Decorations

Image credits: timmy6169

How you decorate your home for Halloween will depend on a lot of factors. If you live in an apartment, for instance, then you only really have your door, windows, and balcony to work with to wow your neighbors.

However, if you have a house and a yard, well then, you have a lot more space to play around with. That means that you can amaze your neighbors with the size and scale of your decor if you want to.

#13 Incredibly Decorated House I Saw Over The Weekend

Image credits: Costner_Facts

#14 An Ethereal Visitor

Image credits: lilibat

#15 Banshee During The Day And The Night

Image credits: lilibat

Aside from that, the only other things limiting you are your imagination and your budget! If you’re patient and creative enough, however, you can turn even a financially tight Halloween decor budget into something that goes a very long way. For example, if you’re skilled at DIY, you can make a lot of the props, costumes, and installations by hand.

If you’re a Halloween veteran, then you know where to start. If you’re not, then there are plenty of free resources on the internet to guide your way. And if you’re ever in need of inspiration, well… this list should spark a few bright ideas that you can change, combine, and borrow for this or next year.

#16 Arachnid Manor

Image credits: Turknor

#17 My Homemade Plant Monster

Image credits: pull_the_curtains

#18 A Neighbor's 2022 Halloween Decoration

Image credits: throwawaybeauty777

On the flip side, if you’ve got the cash to spare but little time and energy after your double shift down in the popcorn mines, you can focus on setting up and positioning all of your elaborate decor for the biggest effect! But if you’ve got the time, the skills, the space, and the finances? Well, the odds are that you’re going to make such a massive splash on the internet that people will still be talking about your project years later.

Before you head down to your local Halloween shop and/or building supplies store, it really helps if you sit down and think about what it is you’re trying to achieve. Brainstorm some ideas. Do a few quick sketches of what you’d like the decor and the exterior of your home to look like. Think about the colors and the designs and whether they play well together or clash.

In short, choose a theme and focus on it so your yard doesn’t look like a mish-mash of a dozen different ideas. Unless that’s exactly the look you’re going for! The point is to have fun, whatever path you choose.

#19 Silly Garden Halloween Decoration

Image credits: AllHisFault21

#20 An Abandoned Shop Decorated For Halloween

Image credits: Crutey

#21 Phase 1 Of Our Halloween Display

Image credits: maggiggity

If you really want to stand out from the crowd and really make everyone’s eyes pop, then you’ve got to get your noggin jogging. You can’t just rely on the tired old staples of pumpkins, skeletons, cobwebs, and witches’ hats. You might want to consider thematic twists on these items. Or steering clear of them altogether for a more nuanced, surprising take on Halloween. After all, if it’s unexpected, then it fits well with horror…

Even if you’ve made the best decor in the world, it won’t matter much if you forget about the tiny details that bring the decor together thematically. For instance, think about the lighting around your home during the day and at night. Perhaps you could place a few strategic lights to make your installations look even spookier and grander? Or you could set up a small microphone or two to entertain passersby with some haunting ambient music or subtle noises.

#22 It's Time For A Sophisticated Halloween

Image credits: formandtheoryai

#23 Creative Halloween Decoration

Image credits: endofthehold

#24 Monster House

Image credits: RAWRthur

To tie all of the mood lighting and sound effects, you could set up some motion detectors so that different parts of your installation activate only when someone’s walking by. Though, keep in mind that you shouldn’t be scaring the living heck out of your neighbors.

Jumpscares might work, but they’re cheap. Horror—true horror—is subtle, creeps up on you, and won’t leave you alone even in your nightmares.

#25 Halloween Lawn Ghosts

Image credits: professorcrayola

#26 The Official Count For This Year Is 105 Headstones. I Still Have A Little Time Left To Make A Few More

Image credits: UptonDide

#27 My Halloween Yard Decor

I saw someone do something similar years ago, and it got stuck in my brain. I'm a standard poodle lover, so I couldn't just use a regular dog skeleton. Hope it makes you laugh.

Image credits: Blooreader

You could even make yourself, your family, and your friends a part of the decor. You could all dress up in your zombie costumes and slowly shamble out from behind an impressive mausoleum. Or you could all roleplay as witches around a dozen cauldrons in the yard. It really falls to you to find the perfect combination of fun and amazement here. 

#28 Here Are Some Of The Pictures From Last Year

Image credits: undergroundlasersllc

#29 Money Is A Bit Tight Right Now So I Made Some Homemade Halloween Decorations. Turned Out Pretty Good, I Think

Image credits: WilliamHarry

#30 Recycling My Old Grill

Image credits: dhdave11

So, Pandas, tell us what you think of the awesome photos in this list. Which decor and designs did you enjoy the most? Were there any that you’d love to replicate this year? What are your Halloween plans in 2023? Do you have any spooky traditions? We’d love for you to tell us all about it, so scroll down to the comment section and spill the beans! Meanwhile, for some more spooky inspiration, be sure to take a look through Bored Panda's previous features.

#31 Neighbors Are Providing Free Outdoor Family Movies As Part Of Their Halloween Decorations

Image credits: Planet_Coco

#32 12-Feet Hatbox Ghost

Image credits: Kind-Hour6064

#33 I Was Told I Should Share My Newest Creation

Image credits: valannjo

#34 My Neighbor Spared No Expense This Halloween

Image credits: smugman246

#35 Halloween 2023

Image credits: Ok_Jaguar_5678

#36 I Put Up My Pillars, Arch, Fence, And Mausoleum Today. Not My House (I Just Work There)

Image credits: UptonDide

#37 Hope Everyone Will Have A Fun And Scary Halloween

Image credits: Pajc810

#38 Halloween Is A Dark Time Around My House

Image credits: jillikinz

#39 My Neighbors Constructed A Massive Mind Flayer Decoration In Front Of Their House For Halloween

Image credits: S_moT

#40 We Turned Our House Into A Monster For Halloween

Image credits: veeringwhim

#41 Super Happy How This Turned Out

Image credits: pabloescobarbecue

#42 I Tried Making A New Kind Of Ghosts This Year. In Addition To My Annual Circle Of Ghostly Dancers

Image credits: professorcrayola

#43 Taylor Swift "Eras Tour" Spooky Display

Posting pictures from my Sc-ERAS tour Halloween display in Sun Prairie, WI. The news came by to interview me today.

Image credits: Responsible-Phase-10

#44 DIY Cardboard Iron Giant Roof Topper

Image credits: _gingrsnaps

#45 Last Year Was The First Time I Had A Home To Decorate, So I Made This Guy. Though You All Might Appreciate It Here

Image credits: gourdhorder

#46 Nothing More Terrifying Than Looking Out Your Window And Seeing A Rubber Ducky

Image credits: Abraa-Cadaver

#47 Halloween Decor. I Did These Windows With A Bedroom Sheet, 2 Lights, And A Fan

Image credits: mvxngg

#48 Finally, The Skeleton Screen Is Completed

Image credits: tubajames07

#49 Decorated House Over The Weekend

Went with an arachnophobia theme this year.

Image credits: ZATSTACH

#50 I Live Out In The Country And My Front Door Is At The Back Of My House, So I Was Getting Missed At Halloween. So I Made Myself A Sign

Image credits: pineappleforrent